Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has conceded that Guinea-Bissau deserved their 3-0 victory over Nigeria in Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, admitting that his team struggled to match the hosts’ intensity.
The defeat was a major setback for Nigeria, who had opened their qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over Madagascar three days earlier. Unlike that match, however, the Super Eagles were unable to build sustained attacking pressure in Bissau and were largely second best throughout the encounter.
Guinea-Bissau took control of the game in the first half and went ahead through Franculino Djú. Nigeria struggled to respond as the hosts continued to press and make better use of the conditions.
The Djurtus increased their advantage after the break when Mama Baldé found the net, leaving Chelle’s side with a difficult task of mounting a comeback.
Nigeria attempted to push forward in search of a response, but their efforts failed to produce a goal. Guinea-Bissau eventually put the result beyond doubt when Álvaro Djaló scored in stoppage time to complete a convincing victory.
Speaking after the match, Chelle did not dispute the outcome and acknowledged that Guinea-Bissau had been the superior team.
“They were more aggressive than us; they were better than us,” the coach said.
Chelle also identified the playing surface and weather conditions as factors that made the contest difficult for his players, although he stressed that they should not be regarded as excuses for the defeat.
According to the coach, Guinea-Bissau’s familiarity with the pitch gave them an advantage, while it was the first time his players had played on the surface.
“Though this is not an excuse, they know their pitch. They usually play on this pitch, but for us, it was the first time, and the pitch was very bad. The weather was very hot too,” he said.
The Super Eagles coach said the hosts entered the game with greater motivation and intensity, adding that Nigeria failed to find an effective response.
“So, Guinea-Bissau entered the game more motivated and more aggressive. They put more intensity, and we never found a solution,” Chelle said.
He added that Nigeria attempted to change its approach after the interval but failed to maintain the momentum for long.
“We tried to go forward after halftime, to bring something new, but after 10 minutes, we stopped, and I don’t know why,” he said.
The result leaves Nigeria with work to do as the 2027 AFCON qualification campaign continues, following a win and a defeat from their opening two fixtures.
